Oneshots... Assemble!

Snow Day

Note that this is a little dark and that all dialogue is in Russian. You'll soon see why.

Natasha/Natalia reflects on why she doesn't like snow days.

The familiar specks of white dust falling was usual taken as a good thing.

It meant joy and happiness in young children. They itched to go outside and play around, scream a little, and then go back in their cozy homes when the weather was too bitter for their tastes. The children would gather round the stoked fire, hands grasping mugs of hot chocolate.

That was the way most children spent a winter morning, during a light blizzard. It wasn't actually that light — but definitely couldn't be classified as a heavy storm. Weather patterns like this were pretty common in the Soviet Union, especially Stalingrad.

Natasha Romanoff didn't like snowy days.

The Red Room wasn't actually in Stalingrad, but instead on the outer edges. They preferred to stay hidden and work in the shadows, although some of the leaders there suspected USSR officials knew something was fishy. Even if they did know, no action would be taken.

The snowfall glimmered as it landed onto more heavily packed snow. It'd been snowing all night and through most of the morning. One snowflake landed close to a girl's shoe, and she stared at it, unsure how to react to it. The Red Room's training worked pretty well — especially in the youngest of recruits.

The girl hesitated before making a decision. She picked up her shoe and stepped on it, twisting the bottom to tear it to pieces. Tearing apart things was just what they did. More snow fell gently upon her vibrant strands of red hair, and those green eyes seemed to glow in the misty storm.

The wind howled, and Natalia wasn't sure she heard Madame B correctly. The girl relied on reading her teacher's lips for now. "Natalia and Liliya."

Both girls took a deep breath, fighting to keep their masks on. They couldn't act weak. It was punishable and they had orders to obey. Stepping out of line, the other recruits stepped back.

Natalia took up a fighting stance. She remembered to bend her knees slightly, and moved her non-dominant foot in front. The other foot, her left, turned so that it was pointing to her opponents opposite side.

Liliya mirrored her. It took her longer to get into position, and it worries Natalia. She didn't really like hurting people, but what would you do if it were your only option of survival? Liliya was actually a few years older, although all the girls looked way younger because of the malnutrition. She'd been at the Red Room about the same amount of time as Natalia.

Madame B spoke over the blizzard and yelled, "You may...begin." With the way she drawled out the last word, everyone knew that her intention was to have one less girl with them when the sun sank over the horizon later that night. One girl who wouldn't see the sun ever again, burrowing beneath the feeling of death and loss.

Liliya studied Natalia's eyes and tried to get a read. She took too long and her opponent suddenly threw a sharp jab. But the girl knew that the younger recruit was pulling her punch — Liliya realized both were reluctant to fight one another.

Madame B muttered a curse in Russian that wasn't really meant to be heard by anyone. She took out her handgun and fired it upwards towards the sky. She wanted to see blood drawn; a little more action involved.

Natalia flinched and Liliya decided to step up. She raised her knee and tried hard to push into Natalia's stomach. The other girl was too fast — and sidestepped over. Natalia flung her elbow and knocked Liliya hard in the nose. Then she remade her fist, intending to keep it tight and steady.

The older girl wiped the blood from her nose and threw a punch. Natalia tried to catch the fist before it collided with her face, but she rendered unsuccessful. Stumbling backwards, Natalia barely managed to keep her footing. Liliya repeated the exact same move — and almost immediately regretted her final mistake.

Oh, and by final, it means the last before her death.

Natalia grunted with effort and caught her opponents wrist. She grabbed it so hard, that it probably left a large bruise in it's place. It's now or never, Natalia thought.

She twisted painfully. Liliya screamed and got out from underneath her. The older girl performed a roundhouse kick to Natalia's liver, causing her to falter in her balance. Liliya used it to her advantage and pushed her down. Down into the built up layers of snow.

The hard packed snow was thick enough to prevent a fall directly to the courtyard stones, but it still hurt to land on. Liliya breathed heavily and moved her hands up to Natalia's throat. She wanted to end the fight — right here, right now. Death by strangulation — dealt to Natalia by Liliya's own two hands.

But before Natalia passed out and lost the waging battle on her life...Liliya sighed and loosened her grip. She couldn't be a killer.

Natalia felt different. She retook her firm hold and decided to use a quicker way of murder than strangulation.

The horrible, echoing snapping sound from Liliya's neck would forever haunt Natalia, Natasha, or whoever she really was. The way Liliya's body lie motionless and still, blood trickling out from her head and neck — leaving a red stain on the fresh snow. Liliya's haunted and pale face...her first official kill. And she'd done it herself, without weapons or anything but her wits and strength.

Natasha Romanoff didn't like snowy days.